I Kissed a Boy

Beneath a blue sky, two people walk along a path in front of a well-maintained building. They stop, look into each others' eyes, and kiss. A deep, long kiss. With tongues.

"Hello, what's your name?"

Kiss first, then ask questions. Welcome to I Kissed, an unusual dating show.

The key difference between I Kissed and other dating shows: it's made for - and mostly made by - gay and lesbian and queer people. Men who love men participated in I Kissed a Boy (which ran in '23 and '25); women who love women in I Kissed a Girl (shown in '24 and '26). We describe both series together.

Production company TwoFour made two claims about the I Kissed format: it was the first UK dating programme for same-sex couples, and it was not a game show. We agree with the first claim, while there had been imported programmes and a couple of one-offs, I Kissed was the first show solely about gay couples. But we disgree with the producers' second claim: while there were no flashy prizes like on Love Island, the show borrowed enough tropes and ideas to pass muster as a game show.

Most episodes feature a "chemistry test", which are meant to see how well the couples fit together – or cast doubt if they don't. Turned out that most of these tests were gossipy and scurrilous, trying to stir up discontent where it already existed, and perhaps sow doubt where discontent was not already found.

From time to time, there was a "kiss off". This was the point at which couples determined if they were going to stay together, or split. Established couples stand back-to-back, and if they want to stay together, they turn round and kiss. Both turn around, great, true love wins, at least for tonight! But if either wants out, they stay as they are, and then state who they'd rather kiss instead.

The whole thing is done with the maximum amount of fuss and drama: it's mostly done at night when bright spotlights contrast with the dark sky. There are countdowns and cues to turn, and we're certain to have a cliffhanger at some point in each kiss-off sequence. Anyone who isn't kissed – anyone without a match – is off the show. I Kissed broke many boundaries, but remained wedded to the idea of monogamy.

Clearly, I Kissed is influenced by the straight dating shows, most notably Love Island. There are lots of shots of a sun-drenched masseria – a fortified farmhouse in Puglia; it looks to be about the size of a modest stately home. There are plenty of nooks and crannies for private chats, and outdoor space for intimacy of emotional and physical types. The voiceover (from Layton Williams or Charley Marlow) is sharp and leading, the soundtrack fizzes with queer energy. Comparisons to a villa in Ibiza, and the show set there, are plainly invited.

There are many differences between Love Island and I Kissed. For starters, I Kissed is entirely pre-recorded, the final episode was usually followed by a "reunion" filmed just before transmission the following summer. And while Love Island has an outcome dictated by the viewing public; relationships on I Kissed stand and fall on their own merits.

The format was loose, with long periods of time when the participants were just living together, and reflecting on their shared experience. It allowed room for gentle and honest discussion of topics shared between LGBTQ+ people: of being bullied, of how women are ignored in sport, of what it means to be non-binary or a trans guy. Relatable people talk of coming out, of being Black or Muslim, of their life with HIV, of growing up gay in Northern Ireland, of why the most common abbreviation is "LGBT" in that order.

The BBC ended production following the series broadcast in 2026. The corporation pleaded increasing poverty, muttering something about "budget cuts". This is a shame; I Kissed used the very familiar format of dating shows to smuggle in some truths about society, and address a segment of the population usually ignored.

"We Could Be The One" by Dannii Minogue

Episodes were released on iPlayer one day ahead of broadcast.

BBC programme page (I Kissed a Boy)

BBC programme page (I Kissed a Girl)

Weaver's Week review